Imagine being the Disciple of Jesus who receives the title of “doubting.” Thomas was one of the original 12 Disciples who spent three years with Jesus – learning from him and participating in his ministry. But in one moment of disbelief, when confronted with the impossible news of the resurrection, Thomas has been seen by many as merely “the one who doubted.” But it is important to understand that Thomas’ story is not unique. Many of us experience real doubt, even when we know we shouldn’t. We must learn from this story how to doubt well, and how to journey toward real faith. We also must learn how doubt does not need to define us.
Imagine being the Disciple of Jesus who receives the title of “doubting.” Thomas was one of the original 12 Disciples who spent three years with Jesus – learning from him and participating in his ministry. But in one moment of disbelief, when confronted with the impossible news of the resurrection, Thomas has been seen by many as merely “the one who doubted.” But it is important to understand that Thomas’ story is not unique. Many of us experience real doubt, even when we know we shouldn’t. We must learn from this story how to doubt well, and how to journey toward real faith. We also must learn how doubt does not need to define us.
The story of David and Goliath may be the prototypical Sunday School story. A story that is likely familiar to anyone who grew up in church and one that even many who have never darkened the door of a church have heard of. It’s the story of a shepherd boy who with only sling and five stones took down the giant who had been terrorizing the entire armed forces of Israel. Ultimately though, the story isn’t a call to be like David and face down our giants, it’s a story that reminds us that no matter how big, brutal and scary the giants we face are, if God goes with us we have nothing to fear. In fact, if there’s one thing we need to know is true about all every story we’re going to study this summer, it’s that God is the ultimate hero of every story.
“Do this in remembrance of me.” This was the command given to the disciples in the Upper Room as they took the bread and the cup together on the night Jesus was betrayed. This command to regularly partake of the bread and the cup through the practice of communion is then repeated and given to the whole church by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11. The taking of these elements functions as a tangible and constant reminder to all followers of Jesus not only of the price that was paid for our forgiveness but also of the reality of the forgiveness we have received, of the extent of the grace that has been poured out us, and of the fact that Jesus will return to finish what he started and complete the work of making all things new. Communion is a time for us to celebrate the incredibly good news of Jesus.
As the Teacher takes stock of all he has observed he reminds all of us, but particularly the young, to hold two realities in tension. First, we should enjoy the good things in life that God gives us, but as we do so we need to remember that All of life is to be lived in light of the fact that we will each die and stand before God to give an account.
How do you navigate a world where the only two certainties are uncertainty and death? The answer, the Teacher tell us, is with wisdom. In this section The Teacher seeks to show us why wisdom is so valuable and offers us some ways to live with wisdom in the areas of leadership, speech and decision making.
There is one thing that is true for every single one of us, no matter how good or bad a life we live, one day we will die. That is a thought that in our culture we tend to run away from, but it is critical that we acknowledge it because knowing that we will die, says the teacher, ought to shape the way that we live.
It might appear that the teacher in this section is calling people to pursue a life of moderation. One where we try to walk a balance of being perceived as either a “sinner” or a “saint.” Instead, the warning here is that there are two dangers we can fall into in life, living a life of destructive licentiousness or a life of self-righteous legalism. In truth no amount of sin will satisfy us and no amount of “saintly” behaviour is able to save us from death only the righteousness of Jesus is able to save us.
One of the blessings of Ecclesiastes is the Teachers constant reminder that God has given us good gifts to enjoy under the sun. However, those gifts can easily become gods. When gifts become gods not only will we not find the security and satisfaction we are looking for we also won’t be able to enjoy what God gives us to enjoy. When we search for that which can only be found in our creator in what he was created the end result is misery.